Sunday, December 09, 2007

I'm going to be a lot late with the Naked Gold Man column this week (previous episodes here) and with the updates to the site. I'm still trying to work out bugs in my computer switcheroo. But while you all contemplate and discuss the first batch of critics awards --scroll down for LA & Boston posts (DC and NY's online critics also announced), please share in my nomination nightmare and my nomination dream. I'm sure you know which is which.

If you don't I'll give you a clue: I'm pointing at the dream nomination, in sacred (attempted) commune with the man in question. Despite my love he seems to be threatening me? Maybe he's worried I'll jinx him. My favorites do have a tough time with Oscar.

I guess I'm just a dope, but I truly don't understand why after that magnificent performance this year, Viggo isn't getting more critical appreciation (except for Dennis Hopper, on the Variety site, who said that Viggo got his vote). I didn't understand why his enthralling turn in "A History of Violence" didn't blow those other guys out of the park, and I didn't even get it, when Aragorn, the King, couldn't get a nomination. Do they think it's easy to ground a heroic fantasy? And yet, before LOTR, I wasn't a Viggo fan at all. I was actually disappointed he got the LOTR part. Guess he showed me!

Yeah the lack of attention Viggo is getting is depressing. Really depressing.

And maybe Travolta wasn't "that bad", but I think a lot of people would agree that he was the worst thing in the movie. And is that the kind of performance that merits favorable words, much less honors?

What exactly do Viggo and Christian Bale have to do to get invited to the party? I still haven't gotten over Bale not getting nominated for Empire Of The Sun...one of the greatest performances by a young actor ever.

In fact....there it is...my exception to the paying your dues rule. I think he has proven that he was no fluke.

Mortensen has made everything he's in better for his having been there. Including A Perfect Murder.

Earlier in the year I would have thought he was a lock. I will still hope, but alas, my favorites may be jinxed as well!

I thought Edna Turnblad is by far John Travolta's best performance. Definitely his most likable.

And while I'm a fan of Viggo's (and certainly not of Travolta's), and I thought a lot of his performance in the morbidly overrated Eastern Promises was excellent, there were times when the moody-menacing posturing got exhausting and that hevy vould-be Rrrussian akcent vas a beeg beeg hendicap.

"but I think a lot of people would agree that he was the worst thing in the movie."

I presume that a fair share of the people who say they hate Travolta in Hairspray are people who have a strong connection to the 1988 original and Divine.

However, if you ask many "regular folk" they would say Travolta was a hoot and a half. And I would hazard a guess that not that many Academy members have seen any John Waters film. Ever. Let alone Hairspray. And I bet if older Academy members ask their younger relatives what they thought they'd go "omigod he was soooo funny!"

Say what you will about Travolta's performance, but few other performances left the impression on me that he did. I admit that it's not an entirely successful performance, but I mean it when I say I couldn't stop thinking about it, lol.

I just wish he hadn't done that ridiculous accent. That's the main thing. He said in interviews that it helped him get into character and whatnot, but you know what? If you're John f***in' Travolta you should be able to get into character without sounding conspicuously different from everyone else in the film. It just didn't make sense. Really annoying classic case of an actor putting his ego and "personal process" before the film's cohesion. As an actor, I was annoyed at that.

"Who cares if I don't make sense in the context of the film, I'm John Travolta and I'm having fun! Look at me go!"

I don't dislike the performance as a whole - in fact, I think his more bubbly, less ironic approach worked well in context - but that particular aspect of it irked me a lot.

I suppose one could argue that he was doing it right and everyone else was doing it wrong, but come on.

And I also blame the director for not reigning him in. He may be John Travolta, but he's not directing the film...

Also, I just watched Pink Flamingos the other night. My first John Waters film. I have a friend who's pretty into him and likes to shock people. And boy, did it. I can only imagine how people reacted 30 years ago.

glenn --i totally believe the same. i think a lot of non-Hairspray devotees probably loved him. And actually I did too but ONLY in the musical numbers where I thought he was great. but otherwise i thought it was misjudged

Never saw the original film, and I thought Travolta was off. Like Nathaniel said, I liked the musical numbers, but his accent the rest of the film was awful and became very distracting.

Oh, and if the academy is determined to give a musical/comedic nod for supporting actor, could it please please please be James Marsden in either Hairspray or Enchanted. A thousand times better than Travolta. (I know... never gonna happen.)

travolta was simply cringe worthy did not "get" the role he was supposed to be a former beauty who had turned into a tired olfd fat bird who needed the love from her daughter's love of music,i did like travolta in 1 scene the dressing up scene i thought he had some good moments during that but the film as a whole was a mess i am afraid with stunt big name casting that did not work apart from pfeiffer who was the only one nom worthy imo although marsden showed a light touch,maybe comedy is his niche and not dull heroes but terravolta please no no no,me and the boyf hated him and that annoying jewish girl wailing over everything give me my earplugs.

I despised Travolta's performance as much as it's possible to do so. While I loved Divine's creation of Edna, I was fully open to other interpretations and I was actually one of Travolta's few defenders when his casting was announced. But not only did he play up the "Haha! I'm in a fat suit!" element the entire movie, his Bal-more accent rung distinctly false (I currently reside in Charm City) and entirely distracting. He also ruined what should be "Hairspray's" most joyous moment. So, there.

I thought Travolta was great. His accent gave the film some local flavor. I wouldn't give him an Oscar nomination and he's no Harvey Fierstein but, he was delightful overall. Now Viggo, he was incredible, giving his best performance to date. Why is Eastern Promises so forgotten? I liked it more than History of Violence and even more than No Country For Old Men, which is about to have awards thrown at it from every direction. Bad release timing maybe. Eastern Promises should be coming out now, not three months ago. The producers should have waited, voters have short memories.

Just saw Hairspray over the weekend, and honestly, if an avowed Travolta-hater like me can emerge with a kind of grudging respect for the performance, I can only imagine what the people who like him to start think.

Of course, I'm also the one guy who was underwhelmed by Eastern Promises -- and not as bowled over by Viggo as everyone else -- so feel free to disregard.